Thomas Spagnol is the Information & Communications Specialist at the Museum of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City. He’s responsible for "getting the word out" about the museum & its many programs and exhibits. He also writes and takes photos for the newsletter and is responsible for the website, “A new look is in the works” he says. He LOVEs animals, just not the bear he almost hit on his way back from Mattamuskeet one night. He h a s t w o s o n s w h o l i v e i n Pennsylvania, a black lab and a hound here in NC, and even though he doesn't hunt, his dogs do. They LOVE to chase down a deer, cat or whatever in the fields around his home in Hertford. He is a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Elizabeth City Flotilla, and volunteers for a local animal shelter.
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Thomas Spagnol Communication Specialist thomas.spagnol@ncdcr.gov Museum of the Albemarle www.museumofthealbemarle.com as seen here at the inaugural Mattamuskeet Decoy and Waterfowl Festival in Hyde County. www.hydewaterfowl.com
Battle to be commemorated The Museum of the Albemarle will commemorate the Battle of Elizabeth City, fought on February 10, 1862 with its Civil War Living History Days on February 5 and 6, 2010. As the war in the Albemarle was largely one fought on the sounds and rivers as well as a partisan war, naval and partisan ranger re-enactors will be present to discuss those aspects of the war through demonstrations, exhibits, and displays. Interpreters from the Civil War re-enactor community have enthusiastically volunteered to present two days of programming. Friday’s event will be open for school group reservations. Saturday will be open to the public. Demonstrations, mustering of the troops and artillery firing will occur on The Green. Many exhibits of personal collections of Civil War era artifacts will be on display in the Lobby. Members of the Tar Heel Civilians, a North Carolina Civil War Reenactment Group will be presenting programs that bring the Civilian aspect of the wartime era to the public. The Battle of Elizabeth City was a small naval skirmish but as the can see in the illustration the Union ship transported the Confederate soldiers captured in the Battles of Roanoke and Hatteras as prisoners to Elizabeth City. They were exchanged for Union prisoners or in some cases transported to Union prison camps up north via the Dismal Swamp Canal. The Confederate prisoners were from local units mustered from the region including Tyrrell and Hyde Counties. These prisoners were later reenlisted into the Confederacy or the Union armies or navy and some remained on the home front to fight as guerillas.
“I must say that I fell in love with Lake Mattamuskeet and the surrounding area, and have enjoyed my visits to Columbia, Engelhard and Ocracoke. I wear my Mattamuskeet Wildlife Festival shirt proudly and actually bought an extra one to give as a Christmas gift! I look forward to reading the Scuppernong Gazette and the Swan Quarterly whenever they drop into my inbox,” writes Thomas Spagnol. Photo: Ingrid Lemme